Maritime

The environment in which mariners operate is complex and challenging. It requires a 360-degree understanding of an environment that extends around, above and below the waterline.

Berth-to-berth navigation is becoming increasingly electronic, and with it the need to manage a wide range of data, information and intelligence from many different sources. Vessels must also operate in close co-operation with other craft, aircraft and land based assets. All of this must often take place in constantly changing, remote conditions, disconnected from high bandwidth networks.

Land

The British Army is going through a major period of change, brought about by the Government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review which will result in significant reductions in resources over the coming years.

To achieve this change the Army faces a series of key, interconnected challenges. It’s withdrawal from Afghanistan will drive major logistical and relocation activity for equipment and personnel. Major budget cuts will require a much leaner structure, but it must continue to provide an agile and effective response to threats to UK national Security, wherever and whenever they may occur.

These challenges have a strong geographic context. For over 20 years and across every major campaign, Esri UK has been the core provider of their geospatial capability which exploits this component to support decision making at every level.

Air

The Air Domain in the UK defence context comprises the RAF and its supporting organisations. Its challenge is one of doing ‘more with less’ - to remain agile, adaptable and capable, focusing its limited manpower and assets to deliver a broad range of effects across environments and circumstances.

The RAF relies on a wide range of information and intelligence to support its decision making at all levels. The vast majority of this, from the latest reconnaissance imagery to weather data, has one thing in common – location. Not surprisingly, GIS is playing an increasingly key role in combining, visualising, analysing and sharing understanding, not only within the air community, but also with the other services and collation partners.